Essenza - Essenza EP

The debut EP from Chicago four-piece Essenza exists in that realm of music between somewhat easy listening and earnest expression through languid, ethereal spacescapes. Vocalist Jane Zabeth carries each song through a collection of beats, strings, keyboard twinges, lulling bass lines, and the subtle strum of acoustic guitar. Reminscent of the types of music previously brought to you by the likes of Morcheeba, DJ Food, and a plethora of other downtempo artists Essenza does not seek to rock your body, move your feet, or motivate you in any way other than to lie down and let your eyelids slowly close. Granted, that's also an apt description for music that could be incredibly boring but tracks like "Between Caffeine and Daydreams" and "Weightless Smile" float so gently by that they are easy to let drift into the background. As a downtempo disc, it does its job quite well. The songs are gentle, the vocals are somewhat sad and bemoaning, and the music could easily be plugged right into a movie score featuring a crossfading montage of scenes where your lead character reminds themselves of why they miss character B so much. As a disc being reviewed on a primarily rock website, it certainly seems a bit out of place, but this is one for those of you who enjoy the candlelit nights with a nice bottle of merlot and some fromage. [www.essenzamusic.com]